Extradition pact with India under consideration: Moni

Foreign minister Dipu Moni on Sunday said an extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India was "under consideration" as the Indian Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde would come to Dhaka in the last week of January.

She made the comment while replying a question in a press briefing about the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s three-day visit in Russia from Monday.

Before the press briefing, Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran met the Foreign Minister at her office.

When asked about their meeting, Moni said it was about the visits of the Indian Home Minister and Foreign Minister to Dhaka.

The Indian Home Minister is scheduled to arrive on a three-day visit to Dhaka on January 28 and the Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid is expected in mid-February.

Moni said they talked about what can be discussed during the visit of the two Indian ministers and an upcoming power secretary level meeting.

As border killing is a major issue of discussion in home minister-level talks, Moni said: “It’s a big issue. We want to see how we can cease it completely.”

“The issue of extradition treaty is under consideration,” she said.

Extradition treaty is a long pending issue important for both the neighbouring countries as many top-listed Bangladeshi criminals were said to have crossed the border while some Indian separatists like the Ulfa leader Anup Chetia intruded into Bangladesh.

Once an extradition treaty is signed, both the countries will be able to get back their "disturbing elements" in the shortest possible time.

Media reports suggest Bangladesh and India came closer to finalising the draft extradition agreement during Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir’s visit to New Delhi last month.